Stalking Amanda: The Man in the Shadows

A true crime documentary style feature from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporationќs The Fifth Estate, Stalking Amanda: The Man in The Shadows, re-tells the story of Amanda Todd. Her story ties into one you've heard many times before. In fact, since the dawn of the personal computer era, we've heard horror stories and warnings about why it isn't safe for young girls to chat with older men, and how especially dangerous it would be to meet up with these men.

However, as time has progressed so has technology and the dangers faced by young girls like and including Amanda have progressed and developed as well. The ability to take screen shots or screen caps as they are sometimes called, as well as the ability for anyone online to be anyone they want to be, a lasting tool that internet predators have had for decades, were the choice weapons used against Amanda Todd. Her blackmail and extortion by a man significantly older than her who lived nearly halfway across the world are referred to today as bullying, but audience members may feel after watching Stalking Amanda... that maybe it is time to stop calling all cases of teenage assault bullying.

Bullying has serious consequences, but when a man extorts minors all over the globe and distributes child pornography created with images he's blackmailed those minors into taking, perhaps it is time to consider that he is in a separate league than the insecure teenager who insults others on the basis of their sexual preference, social class, race, or whatever he deems enough to place that victim at a level of inferiority.

Like most cases of extreme bullying, Amanda's tale has a fatal end, and this is where similarities can be drawn. They can also be drawn, on a more obvious level, on the basis that Amanda's interactions with her tormentor happened on screen. The lack of action taken by police in many countries where this tormentor chose to strike, echoes similarities on multiple levels to things that will be different based on your perceptions as a viewer, perceptions based around factors like where you live, your awareness of the news, and your interactions with other people. You'll take from it what you will, which is ironic since Stalking Amanda is largely objective.

Relive this case through talks with Amanda's mother and father, subtle re-inactions, documents taken from an official Facebook investigation (one that was more thorough, according to evidence released in this documentary, than the investigations of either the Dutch or Canadian Royal Mounted Police) and accounts from friends who were, seemingly, with Amanda through all of her troubles. Awareness strikes all action, and that awareness comes from information. Stalking Amanda: The Man in The Shadows is informative, real, and newsworthy; even today.

Judging by these comments, I'm not watching this. As a horror junkie, have a strong stomach but, RL pics haunt me forever.
Just wanted to comment, though, on the people demonizing the parents. As T said above, the media crops, edits and mangles what is said until it fits their script. Sometimes this is innocuous, but often is is not. It is very easy to look at someone else and say
"Ugh, what a shitty parent! Just do x, that's what *I* would do!"
Just, no. Why, you ask? Well...

#1 That's called blaming the victim. It doesn't help what's already happened and deepens wounds that are already gaping.
#2 No, you actually DO NOT know what you would do. You were NOT the parent of THAT child. Every person on this planet is different, as is every household and situation. Do not kid yourself into thinking you're superior at parenting. We ALL suck at it. But that's OK. Its a strenuous, mind-numbing job with shit pay and 0 holidays.
#3 To the person who said they'd slap their child in the face, get help.
No, seriously. While I'm personally against any form of corporal punishment, I do understand why some may spank children on their behinds. However, striking a child on their face is NEVER, EVER acceptable. Clearly, as you admit to it in a public forum, YOU think it is. I suggest before someone does some sleuthing (you're not as anonymous as you think) that you do yourself a favour and seek help with your anger.

I cannot believe these parents. To allow her to even have a computer after she did such a thing. It starts at home and they tend to blame every other agency. It makes me sick. There was so many things the parents could of done and they did nothing to stop it. Her mom even bragging how she was goading the bully. What? Hello? Anything inside your skull mom? So now every girl is gonna cry wolf. Oops I was bad but he is a bully. Its really sad. Take some responsibility for the child you brought into this world. If she only had a life online who's fault is that?

The parent failed this girl a million percent. The police told the parents to delete all social media and cut this girl off the internet asap. Had they at least done that immediately, the sextortion would have ended there, the girl would be alive and yes she would have survived time off Facebook. The parents failed this girl. The police did eventually get to the bottom of this crime and with 70+ plus victims (who are alive), their parents must have taken control of their children's social media access until this was thoroughly investigated. Yes, put the laptop in the living room so the young girls can be monitored at least most of the time. The girl killed herself with her mom in the house! Do parents even check on their kids. This situation could have been prevented if the parents were parents! Yes parents you failed your daughter! I agree, parents quit being bff's with your kids, they need you to take care of them and make decisions for their well being!

T,
You don't think it's right to blame the parents who are functioning adults,instead you want to blame a 15 year old child ? Kids, especially teens are impulsive and think nothing bad will ever happen to them nor their friends. Parents are supposed to protect them from themselves and others. My children had parental locking software to keep their internet access limited. I told my kids they were not allowed to have a Facebook. At 16 while staying over at a friend's house she created one and within a few hours I knew about it,deleted it,grounded her,if she had a school commitment I brought her stayed with her every second. She wasn't able to go to anyone's house for any reason and took her cell phone. Took about nine months before she earned any of her privleges back. She is 24 now and says I was right to do everything that I did because even though she had no intention to use it to meet anyone she realizes how incredibly wreckless her acts were. Even had she not met anyone willingly​ some sick pervert could possibly have found her because of innocent details that she didn't realize meant anything and she unfortunately brought them to our home to kidnap and/or rape her or someone in our home. It really drove it home that someone who I was lifelong friends with kidnapped,murdered and dismembered a 17 year female pizza delivery driver. His sole purpose of ordering a pizza was to kidnap her since he knew they always delivered in pairs at this restaurant for their own protection. He was the last order of the evening and she went alone so the other person could stay at the restaurant to clean up so they could go home early. It was the first and last time that ever happened. I knew him my entire life but never trusted anyone alone with my children. Had I ever done so something like this could have happened to her. Never trust anyone around your children and always assume that you need to investigate everything your child says and does. It may not be a popular opinion but I rather my children were upset with me instead of dead like this poor 15 year old. Stop trying to be your childrens friends and be their parents. There will be many years to be their friend once they are adults

Why did her parents leave the point of access that this monster was using to get into their daughters bedroom and head ?. Why didn't they remove the webcam and laptop from her room?

Lazy parenting killed this girl. The mother knowingly assisted and enabled the perpetrator when she knew what was happening and continued to allow her 12yo daughter to dictate the rules of the house. The laptop should never have been in her room to start with.

Is this bastard never going to pay? Poor kid. She should have been made change her account that he knew about and have the com in the living room. Where was her parents? Poor thing had to take it on herself and was bullied to death. It is beyond tragic.

I understand what many are saying about the mothers last answers, but I do hope you all know that interviews with the media get edited all the time. Therefore you may not know what she said "completely". Its a shame to see many of these posts focus on what the parents did and/or said rather then the fact that a child made a poor decision (like many of you have done before) and got harassed about it. I am certain that many had made a stupid decision in their lives regarding sex, drugs, people, family etc.. and lived another day.

This video shows you how trans fixed people can get with social media and to be honest its a little scary. Yes I agree that parents need to be firmer on their children about social media and showing them the right/wrongs but unfortunetely sometimes what kids want, they will find a way to get it.

I work with kids and I am certain that I will show this video to them, hopefully it will stick some sense into many of them.

So pathetic. Bet this loser feels like a big, strong man after driving a teen girl to suicide! Online bullies and trolls are the lowest form of scum...cowards with no life.

And yes, parents need to be vigilant about supervising their kids' online activities. A 12-year-old does NOT need a webcam or other all-consuming electronics. They need a real life with healthy hobbies.

My heart goes to the parents for such a great tragedy! I think the parents should had been more on task on parenting a young girl!! why let a child left out alone in her room all the time!!! lack of parental presence., unfortunately when they did it , was to late!!

Of course the offender should rot in prison. But who buys their 12-year-old a webcam? What good can possibly come of that? The parents didn't drive her to suicide, but they enabled the encounters that drove her to that point. Mom KNEW about the harassment, yet she still didn't take the webcam away! Come on.

Bottom line: It's a parent's job to supervise and set limits with their kids. This story is a perfect example of why you don't let a teenager call the shots. Their brains are not developed enough to make good decisions. If they were, there would be no need for parents.

Kimmy Nottger Griffith
- 05/19/2015 at 03:54

after i seen the first photo i would have taken my young daughters lap top away! id say no more u r done!! come on be parents ! sad

I like the end where the interviewer asks her mother "who failed Amanda?" She never said herself. When she said "We fought and she won." WHAT? lol I don't care wth my daughter wants, she will get smacked in the mouth for arguing back...and her ass still doesn't get a webcam....and she's grounded for a week. These parents nowadays have to stop being their kid's friend and be a parent. Tell these little bastards to open a real book....maybe they'll figure out that there's a whole new life after 18.

1) OH GOD WATCH OUT FOR THAT SCREEN CAPS BUTTON! Said no pc user ever. COme on people. This is just propaganda to get you afraid of "the internets" and get politicians to ban and install kill switches and basically let them have ther perversion control....Which they already have the satalites, cell phones, and basically are doing it all already.

2) Canadian report. BARF. Canuks are garbage. They have the most backwards ass justice system. No one is perfect, but theirs is literally let admitted serial killers go back into society. TONS of news and documentaries about that lady that worked with her husband to bring in young children as sex slaves to cut them after...gets free pass. The same people that let that same lady talk to that same guy that recently decapitated his gay lover on film (he was sturggeling model etc..) I am sorry, I do not memmorize these cases but easy google search will show you.

3) The documentary camera man is more of a pervert than "the man in the shadows". More sheep ware for sheeple

Who failed Amanda? A kid's primary line of defense is supposed to be her parents, including instilling in a child a sense of self-worth and yes, teaching our children "right and wrong". I realize that this is a very out of style notion nowadays, but it's never been more important. Parents - PARENT YOUR KIDS! Her mom said she told her "no webcam" but then the kid got her own way. Easier to blame the RCP and the Dutch police though.

The parents want to blame the RCMP, well what about their responsibility in all this..
Negligent parents..
It's called monitoring your children.
Why did they not close out her accounts after the police told her to..
Take her computer and cellphone..
Fact is, they failed as parents..
Shame on them for blaming the police..

Todd Morrow
- 04/09/2015 at 05:10

I agree with the message, I just don't know why they had to show so much footage, or any footage, for that matter. Seems like to me that the girls featured in this video are victims of the fifth estate. Did they get permission from all those girls parents to add their clips to this documentary? I doubt it. What parents would? I'm sure it's not pleasant, even somewhat traumatic, to discover you've been featured in a documentary.

I think that this should be played to all school students and I hope it makes parents more aware of what may be going on behind there children's doors and to monitor things as much as they possibly can . I have full access to my children's phones I don't have a computer in my home and I don't allow my children to be on face book any sites that they may be on I add them as a friend and I monitor as much as I can .. Technology has taken over the world and its only going to get worse . I feel so much for Amanda's family and I hope that everyone that watches this learns something from it because I have